Star Trek - Lost Souls [Cortex +]

Mr. Peabody has insisted that I attend the morning meetings. He feels it’s critical that I be present when he hands out the work assignments to the colonists and the survey team. Lt. McAllister, who is the head of the survey team, has been trying to diplomatically explain to Peabody that he has a schedule of tasks already and that Mr. Peabody needs to stop trying to assign the survey team work. I explained it in a more direct manner after the morning meeting. The conversation is surely going to result in a formal complaint. Mr. Peabody seems to find my manner, as he puts it, Unprofessional, ragged, and thoroughly unpleasant. I’m not sure if his having taken more than a week to say anything is a testament to his civil bearing or his lack of a clue.

McAllister and his team found some cave about a kilometer from the camp. I’ve made them off limits until the Marines have finished the training schedule. I’m sure someone is going to go up there before I say it’s okay, after all no one really puts much stock in my being in charge, least of all me. If I did I’d have posted a guard, and placed a remote sensor, or a sign, or some cans and a string. But I guess I’m just not that invested in giving a shit. Or, more than likely, I’m waiting for someone to disobey my instructions so I can be a bastard to them. I am a mean drunk. And I haven’t been drinking. I wonder if this is the DTs?

The survey team continues to conduct a detailed survey of the Alpha site. Lt. JG McAllister has reported that some caves were located about 1 kilometer Northeast of the base camp. The colonial geologist, Dr. Stone, and a few of the other colonists have requested permission to explore the caves. Mr. Peabody has taken the request under advisement. Mission Commander Ferris has indicated that no such expeditions can be undertaken until the Marine security force can provide sufficient manpower, which will not be until they have completed their primary training schedule. That is estimated to be three days.

The Marine platoon continue training, Lt. Ring reports that they are making good progress and is sure that the training regimen will be completed on schedule. Mr. Peabody has been informed of this.

The colonists are gathering samples and compiling reports of their findings. Signs are good that P3-4797 will be a suitable planet should the colonial admin team, Star Fleet Colonial Command and the Federation Council approve.

My sleep was interrupted by a Mr. Peabody. He informed me that the survey team was not doing the survey correctly. When I asked if they were conducting the survey according to established procedure he was not able to tell me. Needless to say that the conversation will probably result in an official complaint. Apparently he is not a surveyor or any kind of civil engineer. He is, I was informed, one of the administrators for the Sheridan Colony. I was barely able to contain my excitement as he informed me. Barely. The survey team were then informed by me to adhere to the Starfleet protocol for conducting a survey to the letter.

At dinner, the first hot meal on the planet, some of the colonists asked me to sit with them. I used the excuse that I should eat the first hot meal with the Marines. They understood. I ate in my tent. The last thing the Marines need is to have to look at a sorry excuse for an officer while enjoying their first hot meal. I only wish I had some beers to give them.

The Hercules dropped the kitchen module, laboratory module, portable sanitation modules and infirmary modules this morning. The last of the supplies have been delivered and we are on our own. Routine supply runs will be made via Runabout for the remainder of the mission.

Hot meals will now be available and Team 3 now has medical personnel to help deal with any emergencies. The scientific personnel will now be able to process samples to compile a complete report about P3-4797’s suitability as a home for the new Sheridan Colony.

A schedule of tasks has been provided by the colony administrators for their personnel to undertake. Marine security groups will be assigned to groups leaving the base camp.

Three months. I just have to hold out for three months and I’ll be done. It could be shorter if the planet proves to be less than ideal, but from the noises the colonists that came along were making that doesn’t look very likely.

Lt. Ring and his platoon of Marines are going to be painful to watch. He has all of three people that seem to know which end of the pulse rifle you point away from yourself. A retired twice Senior Chief they pulled back to active duty, a solid Chief Petty Officer and a sniper. If Ring and these kids are the future infantry arm of Star Fleet I’m glad I’m getting out now.

Watching some of these colonists makes me wonder how they ever managed to settle a virgin world, then I realize that Sheridan Colony has been there longer than some of these people have been alive. Scientists, the whole colony seemed to be made up of them. Studying one thing or another. Now we have a field full of tents and a bunch of people that aren’t used to roughing it. Some exceptions, but mostly what they used to call tenderfoots.

I have to wonder if the Star Fleet personnel that were, as Admiral “Asshole” Gates put it ‘Hand picked’ for this mission weren’t hand picked just to try and give me an ulcer or make the colonists think that all of Star Fleet is a bunch of incompetent nerf herders. Then who am I to talk, chief nerf herder in the nerf herder tribe. And I’m scruffy looking to boot.

Team 3 has been successfully deployed to the surface of P3-4797 to conduct a three month survey of the planet as a suitable home for the new Sheridan Colony. Lt. Ring and his Marine platoon are conducting training exercises as well as serving as the primary Star Fleet security force for the expedition. Base camp has been established and the survey team and colonists are beginning their work to determine the suitability of the world as a new home for the Sheridan Colony.

A blog for your campaign

The players should feel free to post here as though they were making personal log entries, or perhaps official reports. I will try and do the same to help give some insight into the NPCs that make up the rest of the expedition. You should feel free to begin before the game if you wish, to help you flesh out your character backgrounds.